Hagios Sterling Silver Pendant with Ancient Byzantine Stone Cross, Tourmaline & Sapphire

This pendant is named after Hagios - the Greek word for holy, spoken and inscribed across the Byzantine world in churches, on reliquaries, and on the small devotional objects that ordinary people carried on their bodies as daily acts of faith. The stone at its center is an authentic Byzantine-period stone cross plaque carved from pale beige limestone, corresponding to devotional cross plaque types from the Eastern Mediterranean. The front bears a low-relief cross with short tapering arms extending from a central circular boss, adapted to the compact rectangular form of the stone with the quiet confidence of a tradition that had been making such objects for centuries. Surface wear and natural inclusions speak to its age and handling. The reverse is flat and undecorated. Height 3.4 cm. Sourced from a private European collection, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s. Set in 925 sterling silver plated with 18K gold, with three natural round cabochon green tourmalines and one round cabochon blue sapphire set at each corner - four stones for four arms, color and light placed exactly where the cross extends. This is a singular edition - handmade by the designer himself with no second copy in existence. For those who find the sacred in the carried thing. PLEASE NOTE: This pendant is made with an authentic ancient artifact and natural gemstones that may exhibit cracks, scratches, and color irregularities - these are not flaws, but marks of authenticity and age. Gemstone colors may appear differently depending on lighting conditions; please refer to the model photo for the most accurate representation. Next piece!